Alarm setting mechanism



March 10, 1953 B. M. ROSS ,6

ALARM SETTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 23, 1951 I N V EN TOR. BENJAMIN M. Ross Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALARM SETTING MECHANISM Benjamin M. Ross, Fort Wright, Ky.

Application October 23, 1951, Serial No. 252,596

6 Claims.

' spindle can be turned 360 or more only in one direction. Turning of the spindle in the opposite direction is limited to less than 360 by the trip cam. The alarm set of my invention is so arranged that the spindle can be turned in either direction 360 or more.

An object of this invention is to provide an alarm-setting device in which means are provided whereby the alarm-setting spindle may be disengaged from the trip cam when the alarm is being set so that the spindle can be turned in either direction more than 360.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this type in which the trip finger on the setting spindle is automatically released from the trip cam when the spindle is turned in a direction which would ordinarily cause the trip finger to engage the cam whereby further turning would be prevented.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and will in part be obvious from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing an alarm-setting device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in end elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, with parts thereof being moved out of normal position for clarity of disclosure; and

Fig. 4. is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing an alarm-setting device constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

As shown in Fig. 1, the device includes an alarm trip-gear I that is driven by a pinion I2. Pinion I2 is a part of the gear mechanism (not shown) of the clock, and drives the trip gear I0 at a timed rate. Gear I0 runs freely on a tubular spindle I3 within which is a coaxial rod I4. The spindle is rotatably mounted in the clock framework. Axial movement of the spindle to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, is prevented by a collar I4 attached thereto. Gear I0 is provided on one face with :a hub I6 that bears on a spring I1, such as a leaf spring, that controls an alarm clapper I8. Spring I1 urges gear ID to the right as seen in Fig. 1, to a position in which the alarm clapper may function to sound the alarm.

A hub I9 of cup shape is secured to gear I0 on a face opposite the one on which hub I6 is mounted, hub I9 being coaxial with spindle I3 and rod I4. As shown, spindle I3 and rod I4 extend through hub I9. The rim of hub I9 is provided with an alarm trip-notch 2I, one face 22 of which is parallel with the axis of gear I0 and at right angles to the gear. Another face 23 of notch 2I slopes upwardly in a helical manner from the base of the notch to the rim of the hub. The base of the notch is preferably flat for a short distance as indicated at 23'.

The outer or right hand end of spindle I3 carries an alarm trip-finger 24. When the alarm is tripped, or goes off, trip-finger 24 engages the flat 23' of the notch. Prior to the time the alarm goes off, the trip-finger 24 rides on the rim of hub I9. When the gear I0 is turned until the notch 2I reaches the trip finger 24, spring I1 is released, gear I0 moves to the right as seen in Fig. l, and the clapper I8 is freed, causing the alarm to sound or buzz.

The usual alarm is so arranged that the setting spindle can be turned only one way, namely, in the direction of arrow A (Fig. 2), because the shoulder 22 of the notch would prevent turning in the opposite direction. When the sleeve is turned in the direction of arrow A, the trip finger rides up the helical slope or face 23 of the notch until it rests on the outer end or rim of hub I9. As the finger rides up the slope, the trip gear I0 slides inwardly on sleeve I3 compressing spring I1 and pushing the finger 24' thereof under the alarm clapper.

The improvement shown here permits the alarm trip finger 24 to be turned in the direction of the arrow B, even from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The construction making this possible is shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Tubular spindle I3 is provided with two spiral slots 26, only one of which is shown. The slots are apart. When the device is fully assembled, as shown in Fig. 1, the slots are within hub I9. The slots receive a pin 21. Pin 21 projects through rod I4 and turns therewith. The ends of pin 21 pass through the slots 26 but are within hub I9 and never engage the rim of the hub. If the trip finger 24 is against wall 22 of the notch, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and rod I4 is turned in the direction of the arrow B, pin 21 acts on the walls of slots 26 to push gear I0 inwardly in the direction of the arrow C (Fig. l) to a point where the trip finger 24 clears the notch so that it can turn on the rim of the cup I9 in the direction of the arrow B. If rod I4 is turned in the opposite direction with the trip finger in the notch, the alarm set works in the normal way.

The device illustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to that illustrated in the other figures with the exception that the tubular spindle 33 thereof is provided with slots 34, only one of which is shown, which extend parallel to the axis of the sleeve; whereas, the slots of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive are helical in nature. When the device of Fig. 4 is in use, a knob 36 at the end of alarm-set rod 3'! may be grasped and pulled to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, to draw pin 38 against the hub of alarm trip gear 39, whereby the gear and gear hub M are drawn away from trip finger 52. When the gear and gear hub are drawn away from trip finger 42, the set rod can be turned in either direction for a full turn or more to set the trip finger.

The device described above and illustrated in the drawing is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An alarm-setting device for an alarm clock which comprises a gear, a rotatably mounted tubular journal member extending through the hub of said gear, the gear being rotatably and slidably mounted thereon, the hub having a notch in one face thereof, a trip finger attached to said journal member and engageable with said hub, means for turning the gear, a spring resiliently holding the hub of the gear in engagement with the trip finger, whereby, when the gear is turned to bring the notch opposite the trip finger said gear is advanced along the sleeve, and means disposed within said hub and journal and extending through an opening in said journal for engaging the hub and drawing the gear away from the trip finger so that the journal member and. the trip finger can be turned a full turn in either direction for setting the trip finger.

2. An alarm-setting device for an alarm clock which comprises a gear, a rotatably mounted sleeve extending through the hub of said gear, the gear being rotatably and slidably mounted on the sleeve, the hub having a notch on one face thereof, a trip finger attached to said sleeve and engageable with the hub, means for turning the gear, a spring resiliently holding the hub of the gear in engagement with the trip finger, whereby, when the gear is. turned to bring the notch opposite the trip finger the gear is advanced along the sleeve, an alarm-set rod slidably received in the sleeve, and a pin projecting transversely from the set rod through a slot in thesleeve and engageable with the hub to draw the hub away from the trip finger so that the sleeve and trip finger can be turned a full turn in either direction for setting the trip finger,

3. An alarm-setting device is accordance with claim 2, characterized by the fact that means are provided for turning the rod and that, when the rod is turned, the pin engages the sides of the slot to turn the sleeve and trip finger.

i. An alarm-setting device for an alarm clock which comprises a rotatably mounted sleeve, an alarm trip gear. rotatably and slidably mounted on said sleeve, a cup attached to one side of said gear surrounding the sleeve, a trip finger attached to said sleeve and engageable with the rim of the cup, a spring urging said gear along the sleeve to bring the cup into engagement with the trip finger, an alarm stop actuated by said spring between a silent position in which the spring is stressed and a ringing position in which the spring is relatively less stressed, an alarm set rod rotatably and slidably mounted in the sleeve, a pin projecting transversely from the set rod through a slot in the sleeve and engageable with the base of the cup to draw the cup and gear to silent position, means for rotating the trip gear at a predetermined speed, the cup having a notch in the rim thereof to receive the trip finger,

whereby when the trip gear is turned to bring the notch opposite the trip finger, the alarm trip gear and spring are released to ringing position, and means for drawing the alarm set rod alon the sleeve to cause the pin to engage the cup to hold the gear and spring in silent position, the pin engaging the side of the slot when the rod is turned to swing the trip finger in either direction.

5. An alarm-setting device for an alarm clock which comprises a gear, a sleeve extending through the hub of said gear, the gear being rotatably and slidably mounted thereon, means for turning said gear at a predeterinmed rate, an annular flange on one face of the hub of the gear surrounding and spaced from the sleeve, there being a notch in said flange, a trip finger attached to said sleeve and projecting transversely therefrom, said trip finger being adapted to engage said flange, a spring resiliently holding the gear in a position with the flange engaging the trip finger, whereby, when the gear is turned to bring the notch opposite th trip finger, the gear is advanced along the sleeve, an alarm-set rod slidably received in the sleeve, and a pin projecting transversely from the set rod through a slot in the sleeve and engageable with the hub inside the flange to draw the gear away from the trip finger so that the sleeve and trip finger can be turned a full turn in either direction, for setting the trip finger.

6. An alarm-setting device for an alarm clock which comprises a gear, a rotatably mounted sleeve extending through the hub of, said gear, whereby the gear is rotatably and slidably mounted thereon, means for turning said gear at a predetermined rate, an-annular flange upon one face of said hub surrounding and spaced from the sleeve, there being a V-shaped notch in said flange, one face of said notch being parallel to the axis of the gear, the other face being substantially helical, a trip finger attached to said sleeve and projecting transversely thereof, said trip finger being adapted to engage said flange, a spring resiliently urging the gear along the sleeve in a direction to hold the flange in engagement with the trip finger, whereby, when the gear is turned to bring the notch opposite the trip finger, the gear is advanced along the sleeve toward the trip finger, an alarm-set rod slidably and turnably received in the sleeve, a pin projecting transversely from the set rod through a slot in the sleeve and engageable with the hub inside the flange, the slot in the sleeve being helical and so inclined to the axis of the gear that when the rod is turned in a direction to swing the trip finger toward the first-mentioned face of the notch, the pin engages the hub of the gear to draw the gear away from the trip finger, and the sleeve and trip finger can be turneda full turn in either direction to set the trip finger.

BENJAMIN Ross.

nsssanncss crrnn The following references are of record in. the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,731,846 Dunn Oct. 15, 1929 2,192,377 Hofe Mar. 5, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 119,523 Switzerland.. M. Apr. 1, 1927 

